How To Use Time Travel To Increase Happiness

Anytime you need to be happier, just do some time travel. It’s that simple.

I know what you’re thinking: He’s finally gone insane.

No, I’m not crazy. And you don’t need a time machine. You’re just going to use your imagination.

But scientific research shows this is a great way to immediately increase happiness. You can do it anywhere and it doesn’t cost anything.

Research shows happiness is all about where you put your attention. And shifting your attention to the past, the future or even the present — can boost happiness.

Still sound silly? Stay with me. You do unhappy time travel all too frequently.

When you are overcome with regret, you’re turning your attention to negative elements of the past. When you worry, you’re thinking about an unpleasant future. But we can also use mental time travel to get the best out of life.

Here are three ways, why they work, and quick tips to use them to put a smile on your face.

1) Time Travel To The Future!

It’s as simple as anticipation. Remember being a kid and looking forward to holiday gifts? Or as an adult haven’t you fantasized about that vacation coming up?

Well, research says deliberately using anticipation is an insanely powerful way to get happy.

How does it work?

Here’s why you absolutely need to incorporate more anticipation into your life:

For example, a month before embarking on a guided twelve-day tour of several European cities, eager travelers report expecting to enjoy their trip significantly more than they actually do during the twelve days. Identical results are found when students are surveyed about their expectations three days before their Thanksgiving vacation, and when midwesterners are surveyed three weeks before a bicycle trip across California. Indeed, researchers who studied a thousand Dutch vacationers concluded that by far the greatest amount of happiness extracted from the vacation is derived from the anticipation period…

This is why lottery tickets sell so well: you’re never gonna win that cash but the chance to dream and anticipate it brings an enormous amount of joy.

But I’m not encouraging you to buy lottery tickets.

How to do it:

Simply make plans to do something fun with a friend.

Harvard happiness expert Shawn Achor says just calling, emailing or texting a friend and putting an event on the calendar is more powerful than you think.

One study found that people who just thought about watching their favorite movie actually raised their endorphin levels by 27 percent. Often, the most enjoyable part of an activity is the anticipation. If you can’t take the time for a vacation right now, or even a night out with friends, put something on the calendar—even if it’s a month or a year down the road. Then whenever you need a boost of happiness, remind yourself about it.

Want an extra 130,000 bucks a year? That’s the financial equivalent of the happiness boost you get from spending more time with those you’re closest to.

Contrary to the belief that happiness is hard to explain, or that it depends on having great wealth, researchers have identified the core factors in a happy life. The primary components are number of friends, closeness of friends, closeness of family, and relationships with co-workers and neighbors. Together these features explain about 70 percent of personal happiness. – Murray and Peacock 1996

(For more ways to improve your life by sending five simple emails, click here.)

Okay, so you’ve got an easy way to travel to a happy future. Let’s make like Marty McFly and visit the past…

2) Time Travel To The Past!

Nostalgia. People look at pictures of happy times for a very good reason. Maybe you do too.

One group was told to focus on all the upbeat things they could find— sunshine, flowers, smiling pedestrians. Another was to look for negative stuff— graffiti, litter, frowning faces. The third group was instructed to walk just for the exercise. At the end of the week, when the walkers’ well-being was tested again, those who had deliberately targeted positive cues were happier than before the experiment.

How to do it:

That morning cup of coffee? That quick catch-up with a friend? Put your phone away. Don’t think about the past or the future. Stop, slow down and appreciate this little moment.

Sound corny? Just doing that decreases depression and boosts happiness.